Product

Aquaphor: Dermatologist Review

41% petrolatum, and the most useful product in most cabinets. It contains lanolin — dermatologists' Allergen of the Year in 2023.
Last Updated: September 8, 2026
Aquaphor
Key Facts What It Is What It Treats Not the Best For Texture A Dermatologist’s ConcernsMore
How to Use It Where It Fits in Your Routine What It Does Number of Ingredients Full Ingredient List Price per Ounce The Rest of the Line Similar Products FAQ
Dermatologist's Verdict

Aquaphor is the all-purpose ointment for cracked lips, chapped hands and healing skin. At 41% petrolatum it slows water loss without sealing the skin shut. Apply it over damp skin. If you have reacted to it before, I would suspect the lanolin and use Vaseline.

Strongly recommendedRecommendedMixedNot recommendedAvoid

The cheat sheetKey Facts

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Key activePetrolatum 41% + lanolin alcohol
TextureThick ointment
Best forCracked skin, healing wounds, chapped lips, slugging
Approximate price$5–17 (by size)
FragranceNone
Essential oilsNone
Drying alcoholNone
LanolinLanolin Alcohol

The short versionWhat It Is

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Aquaphor Healing Ointment is a thick, greasy, fragrance-free ointment sold in tubs and tubes for about $5 to $17. It is a skin protectant, not a moisturizer — nothing in it targets acne, wrinkles or dark spots. The job is cracked lips, chapped hands, tattoos and skin healing after a procedure.

It is 41% petrolatum, which physically blocks water from leaving skin, with mineral oil and ceresin wax thinning it, lanolin alcohol from sheep wool as an emollient, and glycerin and panthenol to hold water. That is why it spreads far more easily than plain petroleum jelly and stays shiny for hours.

Where it earns its keepWhat It Treats

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Eczema
Eczema
Works some
Eczema-prone skin has a leaky barrier and loses water constantly, which is part of why it itches. Aquaphor cuts that loss and stings less than a cream on skin that is cracked open. It is a seal, not a treatment, so it goes over a prescription steroid, not instead of one. It contains lanolin, named Allergen of the Year in 2023.
Lip Eczema (Lip Licker's Dermatitis)
Works some
Lips have almost no barrier and no oil glands to build one, so they dry out faster than anything on the face, and licking makes it worse. Apply it often enough that you stop reaching for your tongue instead.
Hand Dermatitis
Hand Dermatitis
Works some
Every hand wash strips surface fats that have to be replaced. Apply it last thing at night, when it can sit undisturbed for hours. Cotton gloves keep it on your hands rather than the sheets.
Dry Skin (Xerosis)
Dry Skin (Xerosis)
Good fit
Dry skin loses water faster than it can replace it. An ointment does not add water; it stops what is there from leaving. Put it on damp skin out of the shower, and on the worst patches — heels, elbows, knuckles — rather than all over.

Don't expect miraclesNot the Best For

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Sun Damage (Photoaging)
Sun Damage (Photoaging)
Doesn't work
Slugging gets framed as anti-aging. Skin holds more water overnight and looks smoother, but there is no active here to rebuild collagen.
Contact Dermatitis
Contact Dermatitis
Never use
Lanolin alcohol is a common contact allergen. If a rash keeps coming back where you apply it, rule that out. CeraVe Healing Ointment is lanolin free.
Acne
Acne
Never use
The classic slugging product. Petrolatum with lanolin is a heavy seal, and on an acne-prone face it traps oil under the layer.

How it feelsTexture

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A thick, greasy ointment. The grease is the seal.

It does not sink in. It sits on top and stays shiny for a long while. It will mark a pillowcase and transfer to clothes.

It is fragrance-free and does not sting, which is why it is the usual choice on skin that is cracked open. The mineral oil makes it spread more easily than plain petroleum jelly.

ointment texture
‹ HeavierLighter ›
Ointment · this one
Almost all oil, no water. Sits on top and seals.
Good for very dry, cracked or raw skin. Easiest to use at night. Too greasy for most faces during the day.
balm texture
‹ HeavierLighter ›
Balm
Waxy and solid until it warms in your hands.
Good for dry patches, lips and hands. Useful in cold, windy weather. Heavy on the face.
cream texture
‹ HeavierLighter ›
Cream
Thick blend of oil and water.
Good for normal to dry skin. Good in winter. May be too thick for summer.
oil texture
‹ HeavierLighter ›
Oil
All oil, but spreads far thinner than an ointment.
Good layered over a moisturizer on dry skin. Sinks in faster than an ointment. Some oils clog pores on acne-prone skin.
lotion texture
‹ HeavierLighter ›
Lotion
Mostly water. Pours and sinks in fast.
Good for normal skin and for large areas like arms and legs. Comfortable in summer. Often not enough for very dry skin.
gel texture
‹ HeavierLighter ›
Gel
Water based, no oil. Cool and slippery.
Good for oily and acne-prone skin. Good in heat and humidity. The alcohol in some gels stings broken skin.
serum texture
‹ HeavierLighter ›
Serum
Thin and watery. Absorbs in seconds.
Usually carries active ingredients rather than moisture. Layers under a moisturizer. Rarely enough on its own for dry skin.
spray texture
‹ HeavierLighter ›
Spray
A fine mist. Barely there.
Good for the back and other spots that are hard to reach. Easy in summer. Does little for very dry skin.

The house rulesHow to Use Aquaphor

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How much: A thin layer, warmed between your fingers. A thick blob mostly transfers onto fabric.
Careful: Keep it off oily, acne-prone areas of the face, and off infected wounds and fresh burns. If you have ever reacted to it, suspect the lanolin and switch to plain petroleum jelly.
What to expect: Cracked, sore skin feels better within a day and usually closes within a week. It works while it is on, so nothing builds up and nothing gets worse first.

Where It Fits in Your Routine

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Aquaphor Healing Ointment goes on last, over everything else. Because it seals, whatever is underneath stays on the skin longer, which is why it is used over a prescription cream at night rather than under one. Most people keep it to the evening, since it stays shiny for hours.

This product is good for

What's insideAquaphor: What It Does in the Skin

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Sealing the wall is the least glamorous of a moisturizer's three moves and the most effective. Petrolatum lays a water-repellent film across the surface and cuts water loss by more than 98%. No other ingredient comes close, which is why this works on skin that will not otherwise heal.

The useful detail is that Aquaphor is 41% petrolatum, not 100%. It is semi-occlusive — it lets a little water vapor through. That is why it is preferred over plain petroleum jelly on healing wounds and post-procedure skin, where sealing something completely shut is not what you want.

Glycerin and panthenol add a little water-holding that pure jelly does not. The lanolin alcohol that makes it spread so easily is also why some people react to it.

Tap an ingredient to see where it works

In the skin barrier

PULLS WATER INSEALS WATER INSEALS WATER INPULLS WATER INSEALS WATER IN

Draws water in and calms the skin underneath while the wall repairs.

A waxy fat from wool that seals the surface and softens it at the same time.

Sits on top of the bricks so the water underneath cannot evaporate away. Nothing seals better.

Small enough to sink into the bricks, where it swells them with water and holds it there for days.

A plain, well-tolerated seal over the top of the wall.

The outermost layer, and the one every moisturizer is aiming at. It is dead — flattened cells stacked like bricks, with a mix of fats as the glue between them. That glue is what holds water in and keeps irritants out.

The outer layer, and the only one anything in a jar reaches. It renews itself constantly: a cell made at the bottom takes about a month to reach the surface and flake off. Most of what a skincare product does, it does here.

The living layer underneath, holding the blood vessels, the nerves and the collagen. It is where lasting change happens and it is hard to reach: most of what is sold for the skin never gets this far.

Short list or longNumber of Ingredients

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This is how many ingredients are on the label. The more a product contains, the more chances one of them bothers you. That matters most if you have sensitive skin, eczema, or a known allergy. If your skin tolerates most things, a long list is not a problem by itself.

This product has
7 ingredients
159

37 moisturizers reviewed, from Vaseline (Petroleum Jelly) (1) to Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream (59). Tap a dot to see which.

Full Ingredient List

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Petrolatum 41%, Paraffinum Liquidum, Ceresin, Lanolin Alcohol, Panthenol, Glycerin, Bisabolol

The fine printA Dermatologist’s Concerns

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May cause a lanolin allergy: it contains lanolin alcohol, and this is the real caveat. The American Contact Dermatitis Society named lanolin its Allergen of the Year for 2023. In patch-test data from nearly 44,000 people, about 3.3% reacted, and around 4.5% of children did.

A reaction is easy to misread: if you are lanolin-allergic, Aquaphor makes things worse. Because people reach for it on already-damaged skin, the reaction gets mistaken for the original problem worsening.

There is a lanolin-free swap: Vaseline is 100% petrolatum with no lanolin.

The hypoallergenic label is being challenged: an active class action filed September 2025 challenges Beiersdorf's "hypoallergenic" labeling over the lanolin alcohol. Unresolved, but it tells you the question is live.

It is greasy and marks fabric: that is the point, but it sits on top of skin and will mark your pillow.

What it runsPrice per Ounce

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Aquaphor costs $1.78 per ounce. That is cheaper than 29 of the other 36 moisturizers priced on Dermapedia, which run from $0.42 to $97 per ounce.

An ointment goes on as a thin smear, so a jar lasts far longer than a cream of the same size. The small tubes cost much more per ounce than the tub.

This product costs
$1.78 per ounce
$0.42 per oz
$1.25 per oz
$1.75–$1.78 per oz
Aquaphor · this one $1.78
$3.19 per oz
$97 per oz
SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2 $97
$0.42$97

37 moisturizers priced, from Vaseline (Petroleum Jelly) ($0.42) to SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2 ($97). Priced on the 14 oz size at $24.99. The scale is logarithmic. Tap a dot to see which. Prices current as of September 2026.

Its siblingsThe Rest of the Line

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Aquaphor is one product in a family on the same petrolatum base. What changes is the container and how thick a layer you leave.

Heaviest & most sealingLightest
Healing Ointment
Healing Ointment
The standard tub or tube. Petrolatum 41% with lanolin alcohol, for hands, lips and healing skin.
You are here
Baby Healing Ointment
Baby Healing Ointment
Same ingredient list as the original. Buy whichever is cheaper.
Aquaphor Moisturizing Cream
Aquaphor Moisturizing Cream
A cream, not an ointment. Sinks in, less greasy, seals less.
Hydrating Daily Lotion
Hydrating Daily Lotion
The lightest of the family. A pump lotion for everyday dry skin.

Shop aroundSimilar Products

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The two things people want to avoid in Aquaphor are the lanolin and the price.

CeraVe Healing Ointment
CeraVe Healing Ointment
More petrolatum than Aquaphor, 49.5% against 41%, plus ceramides and no lanolin. It costs more per ounce.
We recommend more
Vaseline (Petroleum Jelly)
Vaseline (Petroleum Jelly)
Seals just as well, with no lanolin and no fragrance. Aquaphor spreads more easily; Vaseline costs less.
About the same
Coconut Oil
Coconut Oil
Softens dry skin but does not seal it the way an ointment does. It clogs pores and feeds fungal acne on many people.
We recommend less

Questions Patients Ask

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How is Aquaphor different from Vaseline?

Vaseline is 100% petrolatum. Aquaphor is 41% petrolatum with glycerin, panthenol and lanolin.

What is the lanolin concern with Aquaphor?

Lanolin was Allergen of the Year in 2023. If you react to it, Aquaphor makes things worse.

Is Aquaphor fragrance-free?

Yes. No added fragrance.

Can I use Aquaphor for slugging?

Yes. A common last step to seal a routine overnight.

Is Aquaphor good for healing wounds?

Yes. Semi-occlusive, so it is a common choice for healing and post-procedure skin.

References

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  1. Moisturizers: The Slippery RoadDirectly states petrolatum reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) by more than 98%, while other occlusives (lanolin, mineral oil, silicones) only reduce it 20-30% - backing the 'reduces water loss by more than 98%, no other ingredient comes close' and 'occlusives are the most effective category' claims.
  2. Petrolatum: Barrier repair and antimicrobial responses underlying this "inert" moisturizerDocuments that petrolatum is used in prevention of skin infections after ambulatory surgery, in postoperative wound care, and as maintenance therapy for atopic dermatitis, and that it drives skin-barrier repair (filaggrin/loricrin induction, increased stratum corneum thickness) - backing the mechanism and the post-procedure/wound-healing use claims.
  3. In vivo investigations on the penetration of various oils and their influence on the skin barrierUses petrolatum as the positive control for skin occlusion and finds it produced the most effective reduction in transepidermal water loss - supporting the claim that petrolatum blocks water from leaving the skin as a well-established occlusive mechanism.
  4. Aquaphor Healing Ointment - Product / Ingredients pageManufacturer page confirming the active ingredient is Petrolatum 41% and that the formula is enriched with Panthenol and Glycerin - backing the product-specific formulation facts (41% petrolatum, contains glycerin and panthenol).